Blast from the past(pun intended)

[kelltym88]

Well lookie what I found. I was looking thru a box of old pictures and I came up with some pictures of several different launches from years past. I had to scan them, as digital cameras weren't out yet, at least not in my price range. All of the pictures were taken with a Canon Snappy 35mm camera, about $60, which was kinda high back then. The first few are from about 1989-90. Hope you like


First picture: Explorer Aquarius

 

[kelltym88]

I shot these off at a local high school in Moreno Valley, Cal. One good thing about that place, it had a big open field for launching.

Next up: My Mean Machine

 

[kelltym88]

Ooops!! Forgot picture....

 

[kelltym88]

I'm trying to group these together by what I flew that particular day, but how would you know, especially if I can't remember myself (?). Anyway, next picture....


Pathfinder

 

[kelltym88]

Here is my USS Cassiopea on the launch pad. This kit is recently retired due to a bad recovery and my 3 year old.....

 

[kelltym88]

Remember this one guys!!!!......

 

[kelltym88]

Now here are some shots from a different day, at least I think it was a different day.

First up Estes Defender

 

[kelltym88]

I must have decided to go small on this day as the next couple of pictures show....

 

[kelltym88]

Here is my Ninja. You know I really liked that little wooden launch pad, wish I still had it.

 

[kelltym88]

Lawn Dart!!!!

 

[kelltym88]

That's not the picture I wanted, it is of my Echo nose first in the ground. Anyway, continuing on. This was my fleet at the time. I had just started back into the hobby.

 

[kelltym88]

One of my all time favorites, the Blue Bird Zero. I thought that this was a very majestic landing. The picture doesn't do it justice as I had to crop the snot out of it to get it fit, but I think you get the idea.

 

[kelltym88]

I did do a presentation/demonstration for my son's Kidnergarten class. This was about 10-11 yrs. ago. This is the only picture I could find. It is the Estes Space Shuttle...

 

[kelltym88]

Please keep in mind that all these pictures were taken with just a cheapy little 35mm camera. Next up is my son's science project for school. Here are the 3 rockets we used for the experiment...

 

[kelltym88]

Wow, I wasn't even paying attention, over 100 posts!!!

OK enough celebrating, here is the 2nd rocket used in the experiment.....

 

[kelltym88]

The 3rd rocket used. The experiment was to see if temperature affected the altitude of the rockets. So, we stuck some engines in refridgerator, grabbed mom's meat thermometer and measured the height of each rocket, using the same engines in each rocket per flight. I think the ones that were a little cooler than room temperature actually flew the highest. I don't remember.

rocket3....

 

[kelltym88]

Of course while we were there we had to fly some other rockets, so here they are....

National Aerospace Plane..

 

[kelltym88]

Centuri X20....

 

[kelltym88]

There were a couple others, but I saved this one for last. It was my first attempt at using the "E" engine.....

 

[kelltym88]

Yes, the Maniac!!!!. The next picture you see is it just taking off. Unfortunately it went up about 50 ft. before the motor CATO'D. I had never seen that happen before. It burned a slot right thru the side of the engine and completely destroyed the rocket. Oh well, one out of a 100 is not bad.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Hope you liked my blast from past. Tomorrow I'm heading up to Lucerne Dry Lake, and takin' my digital camera with me. Thanx for letting me share.

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by kelltym88
Remember this one guys!!!!......

Great pix!

As for the Bulldog, i *loved* that rocket! (I still have mine someplace...) Interesting trivia here, although Estes came out with the BNC-70AJ (FlisKits part NCB-70AJ), the Centuri Bulldog is the only kit produced that used that cone (until the Richter Recker, that is)

things that make you go "hmmmm"...

 

[GlennW]

Man, I love to see these pix of vintage rockets! Keep 'em coming, people! My own vintage Blue Bird Zero was semi-destroyed last summer when it core sampled. I gave it to another guy in my club who wanted to try and save it. And after 20 years of on-again, off-again building, my Estes space shuttle was completed, I got one flight out of it last summer and it was not a good one. Well, quite a few repairs later, I will attempt again next month, wish me luck!

Glenn

 

[loopy]

Man, I love the Echo! I still have mine, despite it doing what your pic shows many times (crammed too much wadding in, and it just kept popping the motor out the back). I want to get a BSD Sprint and finish it like the Echo!!! lol

Loopy